Plastic Free July

You may have noticed a lot of plastic around lately. From the return of plastic carrier bags for the delivery of your online grocery shopping, to disposable gloves and masks, as well as picnic litter on public spaces, it seems to be everywhere.

The problem with plastic is that it’s very good at ending up in the wrong place. We’re pretty good at recycling plastic in Cambridgeshire, but there’s still a chance that somewhere along the supply chain bits of it end up in the oceans. This could be plastic pellets on their way to a manufacturer spilling from a container ship, wrappers blowing out of litter bins into a river, or even fibres from your clothes washing down the drain. And unlike metal or glass, at the moment plastic can only be recycled so many times before its quality reduces and it can’t be used any more.

If you look at the amount of plastic you throw away it can feel a bit overwhelming. But across the world there are communities working to reduce the amount of plastic we use, and you can be part of this by changing a few simple habits.

Plastic Free July unites over 250 million people globally, who all pledge to reduce the amount of single-use plastic they use – by taking their own water bottle or coffee cup, buying loose fruit and veg, asking for no straw in their drink, buying refills and many more actions. Right now, could you use a washable fabric face mask, or do a litter pick on your street?

Sustainable Cottenham is taking action locally as part of Surfers Against Sewage’s Plastic Free Communities – encouraging businesses to make small changes too, so we can all reduce our waste together.

Find out more at www.plasticfreejuly.org and www.sas.org.uk.; or follow Vicky’s Plastic Free July tips for Greater Cambridge Recycles at www.facebook.com/gtrcamrecycles

Vicky Lacey, SusCott Committee